Keanu Reeves got a second act in Hollywood. This doc tells the story of his obsession with doing it right—or not at all.
I found this one through Tim Ferriss’ 5-Bullet Friday (9/19/25), and it lives up to the hype.
Trailer for “Wick is Pain”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- “John Wick” almost died multiple times before filming even started. Financing fell apart so badly the team thought the movie was over more than once.
- Keanu Reeves personally trained for months in judo, jiu-jitsu, and tactical shooting. He even did long takes where he reloads on camera (something most action movies hide with cuts).
Watch “Wick is Pain”
You can watch “Wick is Pain” on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 93/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 87/100 (Users); 100/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: Jeffrey Doe directs this 2-hour deep dive into the making of “John Wick.” Doe is also known for editing Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin’ Down a Dream (my colleague Rob Kelly rated this one 99/100). The doc leans heavily on behind-the-scenes footage shot over more than a decade, plus interviews with Keanu Reeves, Chad Stahelski, and key stunt performers who helped build the franchise’s signature style.
Release Date: 2025
Other Unique Stuff
- The movie didn’t even start as “John Wick”. It began as a darker, stripped-down script called Scorn, and the now-iconic world (gold coins, Continental Hotel, rules of assassins) was built from scratch later.
- The directors, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, were stunt guys with zero directing experience. They ended up redefining modern action choreography.
Wrap Up:
“Wick is Pain” is one of the best “making-of” docs I’ve seen. It shows how close we came to never getting John Wick at all. If you like action movies or underdog stories, this one is great.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc